Jamie Bacon pleads guilty to role in Surrey Six murders

Jamie Bacon has pleaded guilty for his role in the Surrey Six murders.

Bacon pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit the murder of Corey Lal, the intended target of the killings that took place at the Balmoral Tower building in Surrey on Oct. 19, 2007.

1:03 New trial begins for Jamie Bacon on counselling to commit murder

Bacon also pleaded guilty to counselling murder in the 2008 shooting of Dennis Karbovanec, who survived the attack.

Prior to the guilty plea, Justice Kathleen Ker asked Bacon, who appeared by video, if he understood that the maximum penalty for both counts is life in prison. Bacon agreed and proceeded to plead guilty.

Ker accepted the pleas with sentencing expected to take place later this month.

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Crown and defence are jointly seeking an 18-year sentence for conspiracy to commit murder, served concurrently with a 10-year sentence for counselling to commit murder.

3:04 Jamie Bacon to plead guilty in ‘Surrey Six’ massacre

With credit for time served, defence lawyer Kevin Westell says they are expecting Bacon will serve five to six years.

Crown will stay a first-degree murder charge in connection with the Surrey Six case as part of the plea deal.

1:03 New trial begins for Jamie Bacon on counselling to commit murder

Corey Lal, his brother Michael Lal, and associates Eddie Narong and Ryan Bartolomeo were shot Oct. 19, 2007 at the Balmoral Tower, along with 55-year-old fireplace repairman Ed Schellenberg and 22-year-old building resident Chris Mohan, who were both in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Mohan’s mother Eileen says she was stunned by the news of a plea deal.

“I hope Christopher’s death isn’t taken lightly,” she said Tuesday. “Mr. Bacon is alive, my son is dead.”

Christopher Mohan, 22, was returning home from playing basketball when he was killed.

In 2014, Red Scorpions gang members Cody Haevischer and Matthew Johnston were each convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit murder and six counts of first-degree murder following a year-long trial.

Bacon’s trial had been proceeding separately, but in 2017, the charges against him in the slayings were stayed and the judge’s reasons for doing so were sealed from public view.

In May, the B.C. Court of Appeal granted the Crown’s appeal and set aside the order staying the charges, saying his case would proceed to trial.

— With files from Rumina Daya, Srushti Gangdev, Amy Judd, Emily Lazatin and The Canadian Press